Happy Independence Day!

It was a gorgeous 4th of July! We went to the wading pool in Millwood, played at the park, had lunch and naps and then a great BBQ with Grandma and Grandpa. The kids colored flags, we made a 'jello poke' cake and decorated it with blueberries and strawberries to make it a 'flag cake', and had our mini fireworks display out in the driveway.

We all had matching flag t-shirts ($3 at Walmart), and so we took some cute pictures of the kids (with our camera, so you won't be seeing them here yet), and then a couple of cute family pics as well. The kids did sparklers and pop-its, had baths and were in bed just in time for Mommy and Daddy (that's us) to take off to watch the big display downtown.

Uh, in Spokane it is actually illegal to set off fireworks, so our little display only included things that we figured didn't count because they didn't shoot up into the air. Let me tell you, im-press-ive. Yeah.

But the downtown display was awesome. We found a large patch of empty grass on the Riverpoint Campus of EWU downtown and had it all to ourselves. Then we jogged back to the car and beat the rush getting out of Dodge. BONUS! It was a great night.

Hope all y'all had a safe and happy 4th too!

Some of what we've been doing so far this summer...

Playing peek-a-boo.

Riding in the Big Red Car.

Playing with tops Grandma and Grandpa bought in Greece.Playing the accordian.

Bouncing on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath.
Learning to ride bikes.Just being cute.

Eating chocolate doughnuts. Mmmm, doughnuts.

We also went to HoopFest - the world's biggest 3 on 3 basketball tournament that's held right here in Spokane. While we were downtown we rode the carousel and went on the big red wagon slide. We even took pictures, but of course they're on our camera and we don't have a way to put them on my parents computer. You can obviously infer that these pictures were taken with my parents camera.

You're so smart.

The last thing to mention is that CADEN IS NOW OUT OF SCHOOL. We had his endoftheyear picnic at the sprinkler park in Liberty Lake. It's a lot of food, people, and fun. I'm so glad that school's out!

Oh, so's Caden.

Caden Rides Again

We loved our duplex. We were back off the road and had a nice big yard, and even though it wasn't completely fenced in it was back off the street and so I felt comfortable sending the boys out to play together. Of course I checked on them a lot when I couldn't be out with them, but still. The only thing that was a drawback about the situation is that while we had a concrete pad on which to park right in front of the garage, the whole rest of the driveway was gravel. This was not the most conducive to learning to ride a bike. But Caden did learn. Just with training wheels. And even when he outgrew the little bike and graduated to a bigger one he still had training wheels.

Since staying at my parents house we are now surrounded by nice, wide, fairlytrafficfree streets and so Caden has been putting in time riding around the block. He goes by himself and checks in each time he gets back around. I'd been noticing how little he is actually using the training wheels and so Friday evening we practiced how to start on a bike without sitting on it first. After a few times he had it down, so I coaxed him into taking off just one of the training wheels. After one time around the block he was ready and we took off the other one.

And he did it! He didn't fall once! He was soooo incredibly proud of himself, you should have seen him hugging everyone and jumping up and down. We got a picture of him, but of course it's not uploaded yet. I am so excited for him - it's the thing that everyone says you never forget, and now he's done it. We've been outside a lot since then getting more and more practice in.

Way to go, Caden!

Finally got the picture added!

In Which Ryan GRADUATES

Saturday was a momentous day for our family. We attended Ryan's graduation from Eastern Washington University with a BS in Geology. This has been a very long road for all of us, and while we're still staring two more years of school in the face for his Master's program, it was extremely gratifying to see this particular chapter of our lives come to a close.

We were not the only ones there to celebrate the big day. 2,500 students walked at the graduation for undergraduate degrees (There was a seperate ceremony for Master's students that afternoon). This was also reflected in the amount of traffic pouring into little Cheney, Washington. Cheney lies 6.5 miles from the freeway, 18 miles outside of Spokane. With still a mile to go to the Cheney freeway exit we hit a standstill. We eventually crawled into town and hustled to the stadium where the stands were filled and the graduates had already begun walking in. It all worked out in the end; we eventually found seats, and Ryan found his department and then Commencement began.

Everybody was very brief in their remarks, which was very much appreciated by all in attendance in the hot, hot sun. Among the caveats offered was one by a student who reminded them, "Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, you're in the clear." Super. The one exception to the brevity were the remarks from a Russian professer from Russia for some award. She apparently didn't get the memo. But then finally, FINALLY it was time for the main event.

I don't know how it works at other schools' graduations but at Eastern you write your name on a slip of paper and hand it to the professor announcing names. Among Ryan's graduating class we had Captain Jack Sparrow, Lakewood's Finest, and Ryan "Rocks" Carter. After the ceremony we met back up and had a quick lunch and then took a few pictures before all the boys piled into the car to head over to Lynnwood for Uncle Brent's high school graduation that night.

That last picture is because we ALL graduated. While Ryan is the one to actually earn the degree we ALL worked hard and made sacrifices in order for him to be able to do it. We are so very proud of Ryan. He is the very first University graduate from his immediate family, and that is a HUGE accomplishment. Congratulations Ry!

We have video of Ryan walking but the file is too big for blogger's maximum size and I don't know how to edit it. If you can tell me and it works, I'll send you a cookie PLUS I'll be able to post the video!

We're Going On A Bear Hunt

My parents have been called as Service Missionaries for our local mission. This means that they work in the Mission Office 35-40 hours a week. It's been very convenient for us since we're living with them, and with them gone most of the day we don't feel like we're in their way all the time.

Bonus for us, they can't go on vacation while they're serving. And since some of their time-share points were going to expire, in an extremely generous gesture they asked if we would like to go somewhere in their stead. So we looked around and looked around for something fairly close by this summer.

HA.

I forgot that you basically have to book these things a year in advance. Especially for summertime. But then, just as I was ready to quit searching - there it was. Time in Yellowstone. Not just time. CONSECUTIVE TIME. DAYS IN A ROW. MORE THAN ONE DAY. UNHEARD OF, I'M TELLING YOU.

So we're going to Yellowstone in July. This is so exciting! I'm thrilled for Ryan, since he's a Geology major. I'm thrilled for the kids, because I semi-remember going when I was young(er). AND, I'm thrilled for me because we are going to see Yellowstone WITHOUT HAVING TO CAMP. No bears in the food/tent/vehicle for us. I will have access to a full kitchen, washer and dryer, and, my personal favorite, a shower that I don't have to share with strangers.

For all you hard-core campers that think this sounds like a cop-out, pthwwwwtp! I don't care what you think. It is totally possible to enjoy nature without smelling like you are.

Plus there's a pool. ;)

My poor abandoned blog. I don't feel like posting anything, and yet I must. A lot has happened since the last post, case in point is Caden's 7th birthday party. But the computer is packed up and my parents' doesn't have the software to upload the pictures from our camera, and so I haven't blogged about it. This doesn't mean it wasn't awesome. Because it was. But you really need the pictures to appreciate it. Perhaps in August, when we have all our own stuff again.

Everything is in storage. The duplex is empty and CLEAN, and we will have our walk-through later this week. Melanie has moved to the Tri-cities, which is good for her and bad for me, and Ryan is closing in on the last week and a half of his bachelor's degree.

Life in a nutshell is busy, full, and stressful/fun depending on who you are.

Moving Sucks

Well.

My parents are off having a fantastic time in Greece and we are housesitting slash babysitting the dogs for them while they're gone. Coincidentally we are also packing up our house and moving in with my parents to save some moo-lah before we make our big trek to Montana this summer. So firstly, we are housesitting, but come June we are squatting.

This is really just great because I love my parents, and Ryan is never, ever, ever home anymore. That's not true. He's home between the hours of 10:30pm and 6:30am everyday, except Sunday, when he's home slightly longer than that. Stupid 21 credits of HARD classes to graduate this quarter.

Also, since there are so many geologists out there reading this, if you know of a kick-a** summer job that pays a ton could you send the info our way, please? Because with the aforementioned 21 credits there has been NO TIME to job search. I'm not actually sure just how exactly we'll move this month, but I have faith that it will happen. Mostly because I refuse to pay rent for next month, plus the extra-motivating factor of our house already being rented beginning June 15th.

So.

Yesterday I spent calling and cancelling cable service, garbage service, phone and internet service, and changing addresses with as many companies that we do business with as I had numbers for with me. At least that part's (mostly) done. Now we just have to pack up 11 years worth of married life and shove it storage for a few months.

Again.

Yeah, it was a fairly long light

I was driving down Sprague the other day (big 5 lane road for those of you NOT from Spokane) and got stopped at a light. I glance to my right and there is a man standing there advertising Dominos Pizzas for $5. He catches my attention because he is holding the sign up in front of his face and he's shaped a little like my ex-BIL Brandon (tall, roundish guy). So I keep watching to see what he actually looks like. While I'm waiting for him to move the sign my gaze drifts down to his right hand, which, bytheway, is holding a lit cigarette.

Appetizing.

Then my gaze drifts right and I notice that his shirt does not quite cover his paunch (read: beer belly) and there's a lovely band of underwear showing at the top of his pants. His pants look like someone took the requisite fast-food-polyester-black-uniform-pant and cut them off into very long shorts. They're the kind of pants the don't have a button or snap but use that little metal hook and loop system.

Ask me how I know that. Go on, ask me.

The answer is because his pants, while zipped up, were in fact, undone. In public. Without a shirt long enough to cover them.

Mmmm, let me get some pizza from you.

I tried to get my cell phone out and get a picture but by the time I had snapped out of my amazement that someone would feel it was just fine to go to work on street corner half dressed with a cigarette, purposely drawing attention to themselves, and was NOT in fact a hooker, the light had changed and I had to go.

This should serve as a good reminder to the rest of us: Always do up your pants. Or at least make sure your shirt covers them if they're undone.

It's about cookies - mmmm, cookies

I like cookies. I think I've mentioned this before. I know I've posted about these particular cookies before and yet they are sooooo good that I am posting about them again. Hey, it's been almost a year. Plus, bonus for you, this time there are more pictures! YAY!!! I know you're so excited and impressed that I bothered to take pictures of cookies whilst I was in the process of making said cookies. C'mon, you know you are.

Aile was having one of her famous fits on the day that we made this particular batch so she got to 'help'. She didn't quite know what to do with it at first, but once she figured it out she was much, much happier.

By the time I cleaned her up she had cookie dough EVERYWHERE, including up her legs and between her toes. Talk about some tasty toe-jam! (yeah, I know that's gross). Don't go leaving me comments about how she could get salmonella from the eggs in the dough, blahblahblah. I ate cookie dough all growing up and I'm fine.

Shut your mouth, yes I am.

Eating cookie dough is one of childhoods greatest pleasures. Also fun for adults. See, good for the whole family.

Anyway, on with the cookies!

Monster Cookies
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 1/4 C packed light brown sugar
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t vanilla
2 t baking soda
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter (or 1 1/2 C)
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 bag (medium size) M & M's
3/4 bag mini chocolate chips
4 1/2 C quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Preheat oven to 350' F. Cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, eggs, salt, vanilla, and soda. Stir in oatmeal, chocolate chips and M & M's.

Drop by large scoops (like an ice-cream scoop) onto baking sheets.

Flatten slightly with fingers. Bake approx 15-16 min. Do not overbake.

Let stand 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Makes 3 doz.If you make them tablespoon size, bake 8-10 min. Makes considerably more.

Now for all 4 of you that read my weightloss blog you should know that we gave away at least 1/2 of the cookies. Plus, I very judiciously am only eating them when the kids have one (and sometimes not even then) so that I don't eat them all by my lonesome. 'Cause you know, I like cookies.

Silent Saturday